What do with yourself..........and why?

There are two basic, simple, and clear exhortations, ( or encouragements to live and act as we ought to do and be ) in these two verses. Additionally, there is a reason having to do with something other then ourselves given by God. 

See below. 

1Pet 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

1Pet 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Beloved is a favorite term used by NT writers to describe how our Lord views and considers His children to be. "Beloved" Also translated, "dearly beloved, and well beloved, and dear. It means that God esteems you, and it was used when wanting to say that something was worthy of love. 

But, here's the exhortation.....we are being begged by the apostle Peter, to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Abstain, means to hold one's self off, to refrain from. To say no to the evil desires that come from within, the passions of our flesh, that are literally waging war against our soul, the mind, or the new you. So, that's one thing to do with ourselves. Say no to our lower, or baser, or sinful self if you will. 

Secondly, have our conduct, or to conduct yourselves day to day, honorably....or in the right way, or righteously, to live righteously, among the Gentiles, or the unsaved of this world. 

Two reasons are given here. When they speak evil of you, and against you, ( which they surely were, and do today ) they may by your good works, or the right way that you are living, ( as they observe you ) which they were then, and are today, that they may Glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Unbelievers will slander those who believe, they will call what you are doing evil and wrong. But, as they witness your good deeds, in what Peter calls the day of visitation. 

That could be the day these unbelievers come under conviction, and their eyes are opened to see what you truly are, or it could be reference to the day of Judgement. They will admit it on that day, that you lived the right way, and it will bring honor to the Lord, who has saved you and worked in your life. 

Well, that's plenty to think about today, and to digest, and to put into practice. 

Application/Promise

1. Thank You God for making it clear to us.

2. Thank You that You help us say no.  

3. Thank You for explaining the war. 

4. Thank You Lord for a right path to walk on.

5. Thank You Lord saving us.

6. Thank You Lord for allowing us to be a light. 

calvarychapelvisalia's webcam video August 23, 2011 08:22 AM

More truths about Jesus, believers and unbelievers.

See 1st Peter 2:4-10

( it is interesting to see that before Peter calls us to action, or showing us how to live the Christian life in it's day to day way, he really focuses on the blessings that we have in Christ ) So, below are many of those blessings, and some sobering thoughts about those who do not want to be saved.

In approaching Jesus, we are coming to the "living stone". He is the rock of our salvation, and He is alive forevermore, and has given us life, and made us living stones as well. We can come to Him, or draw near to Him, that's the idea. 

The Lord is seeking to build us up. To make us strong, to help us to grow and mature. We are being built up. We are still a work in progress.

We can now offer spiritual sacrifices to God, that are acceptable through Jesus Christ. No more sheep, lambs, goats, bulls, etc, etc......Now, because He gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sins, we can worship the Lord, we can bring to Him those things that are acceptable and received by Him. 

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can be sure we will not be put to shame. He has forgiven us for all of our sins, and they are now gone, and remembered no more. For all the days that you live with Christ, at the end of this life, you can be sure you will not be ashamed of your life. You have been saved, and will not go into judgement. 

It's not however a pleasant picture for those who do not want Jesus. They stumble over Him, and He is a rock of offense to them. Two very descriptive terms stumbling, and offense. 

Finally, back to the blessings we have in Christ, we are ......

1. A chosen generation.

2. A royal priesthood.

3. A holy nation.

4. His own special people.

5. We have been called out of darkness.

6. We have been called into His marvelous light. 

7. We are now the people of God. 

8. We had not received mercy.

9. But, we now have received mercy.

Thank You Father. You have blessed us indeed. In Jesus name Amen.


Application/Promise
1. Count your blessings, name them one by one.
2. Ask God to explain these blessings to you.
3. Turn your mind and heart to Him, and His blessings.
4. Draw near to Him, come to Him.
5. Give praise and thanks to God. 

Put away evil, take in the Word of God

What to put away from our lives, and what to desire in our lives.

There are five things to put away from our lives, and they are all listed in 1st Peter 2:1 below.......and, then the one thing to desire, and a reason for it are found in verse 2, and 3.

1st Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

1st Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

1st Peter 2:3  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

First of all then, what to get rid of. As mentioned, there are five of them. 

1. Malice.

2. All deceit.

3. Hypocrisy.

4. Envy.

5. All evil speaking. 

Malice is plain old wickedness. It's when you desire to hurt someone else. It's having an ill will towards someone else. It's when you are not ashamed to break laws. It's having a vicious disposition, and it denotes the active exercise of that disposition. 

All deceit, is guile, craftiness. It comes from a word meaning to bait. 

Hypocrisy, is to pretend, to be insincere.

Envy, is when you hold a grudge, and are jealous of others. 

All evil speaking, is when you slander someone, and backbite, and defame them. 

So, these are the things that come out of our fallen natures, or the flesh as the Bible calls it. The good news, is, that we can put them away from us, and this is what we are called to do as Christians. 

Finally, the one blessed thing to take into our lives, is the life giving Word of God. We are to desire it, just like a newborn baby  wants it's mother's milk. We are to desire the pure milk of the Word, because this is what brings growth in our lives. 

What a blessing the Bible is to our souls. I pray that You are being blessed and encouraged as you read these devotionals, and are helped by them. 

Application/Promise

1. God helps us by telling us the truth.

2. His Word gets right to the point.

3. Bad things are not for God's children.

4 He wants His Word to be in our desire.

5. His Word will cause spiritual growth in our lives. 

Be Holy, & 2 other important ways to live

Being holy, and 3 other wonderful and important truths.

See 1st Peter 1:14-25

There are at least 4 main areas that Peter is focusing on in this section of his letter.

1. Be Holy.

2. Conduct yourself in the fear of the Lord.

3. Love one another fervently.

4. God's Word lives and abides forever.

Being holy, or being set apart to God. This speaks of our commitment to the Lord. Living our lives for Him. We are called to live this way, "Be holy" because, God is holy. God is set apart. God is above all of His own creation. He is light, and there is no darkness in Him.

Conducting ourselves in the fear of the Lord. Or, living our lives in a coordinated way with God. Bringing our lives into conformity with His will. Showing that we do live in the fear of the Lord, by obedience to His will and His Word.

Loving one another fervently. This really goes to the heart of what God calls us to, of what He commands us to be like, and to do.

God's Word will abide, when all else perishes and goes by the wayside. It's through His Word that we have been born again. This speaks of how precious, God's Holy Word is. It's through His Word, that God has given us eternal life.

If you read through this portion of Peter's first letter, or epistle, you can see how these are like four legs to a chair. They speak of very, very important truths to live our lives on, and to be like day by day.

Lord, Your Word lays out Your way and Your will to us. Thank You for laying it out for us in a simple, and understandable way. May our lives bring honor and glory to You. Please fill us with Your Spirit. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Application/Promise

1. God only calls us to what we can be.

2. The calling of God includes the comfort and power of His Spirit.

3. Setting our lives apart to God is what Jesus did when He was on earth.

4. Loving another person, is what we would like others to do for us.

5. God's Word feeds our souls day by day if we take it in.